Improvement in bomb-shells



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rammed: Sept` n; l1860i N-FETEHS. PHOTCXLITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

XVILLIAM RICE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOMB-SHELLS.

Specification forming part ol'Lt-tters Patent No. 29,995, datedSeptember ll., 1820.

.To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, VILLIAM RICE, of the city and county of Philadelphia,and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain. new and usefulImprovements in Bomb-Shells; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

My invention consists in charging an oblong or spherical shell with asystem of partiallysevered rings or strips of cast-iron, arranged withinthe shell round a chamber containing powder, and adapted to each other,substantially as set forth hereinafter, so as to form within the shell acompact mass of metal, which, the instant the explosion takes place, isshattered into a number of pieces,.the latter being scattered withgreater force and with more destructive effect than the detached piecesof metal with which shells are usually charged.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, I will nowproceed to describe its construction and -operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ot' thisspecification, in drawing No. l, Figure l is a longitudinal section ofan oblong shell, illustrating my improved mode of charging the same;Fig. 2, a transverse section on the line l 2, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a view of'the rear end of the shell; Fig. 4, a transverse section, illustrating amodification of my improved shell. In drawing No. 2, Figs. l and 2represent my improvement as applied to spherical shells.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

On reference to drawing No. 1, A represents the outer casing, B thehead, and C the butt, of my improved oblong shell. The outer casing, A,consists of a hollow cylinder of' castiron, with a series of grooves cutlongitudinally from end to end, and nearly through the entire thicknessof metal, as seen in Fig. 2.

D is a metal tube screwed at one end into a recess of the butt C, and atthe opposite end into a recess of the head B of the shell, thus vservingthe double purpose of confining both' the butt and head to the cylinderA and of forming a chamber for the charge of powder. Onto the tube D arefitted a series of cast-iron rings, a a and b I), each ring being oftheangular form represented in Fig. l, and so arranged that there shall bean annular space between the rings a and b, for the reception of .anintermediate ring, c, which is of theangular form necessary to fit intothe said intervening spacef" It will thus be seen that the rings a, b,and c form, when fitted together and adapted to each other, a hollowcylinder surrounding the tube D, and confined between the head B andbutt C of the shell. Another system of angular rings, d d, c c, ff,arranged in a manner precisely similar to those abovedescribed, Varefitted together, and form a hollow cylinder surrounding the innercylinder of rings, and confined between the head and butt of the shell.Each ring of bothvsets is cut nearly through its entire thickness atseveral points, as seen in Fig. 2.

The cylinder A has at each end an annular lip or projection, fitting onelip into the butt and the other lip into the head of the shell, so thatboth the cylinder butt and head may be retained in their proper relativeposition. Between the cylinder A and head of the shell intervenes awasher, h, of lead or other soft metal, the edge of the washer beingbent down over the end ofthe cylinder for the purpose describedhereinafter. A shoulder is formed on the end of the butt C for thcreception of' the lead washer and the iron collar j, which fits snuglyinto the butt. Onthe face of the butt are cut four recesses, k, abrupton one side and inclined gradually on the other side, as seen in Fig. 3.

The tube in the above-described shell having been filled with powder,and a fuse communicating with the latter having been inserted through anorifice of the head, the whole is -inserted into a smooth-bored gunhaving the i requisite charge of powder. On the explosion of the lattertaking place the force applied to the iron collar j will cause the leadwasher 'i to expand and nt tight against the gun, thereby preventing theescape of explosive gases. lAt

the same time the concussion against the butt of the shell will, throughthe inclined recesses L 7c, impart to it a rotary motion, which will becontinued as it passes through the bore of the gun and after it leavesthe mouth of the latter. rlhe washer It, with its turned-down edgebearing against the bore of the gun, prevents the head and cylinder fromcoming in contact with and abrading or otherwise injuring the surface ofthe bore. YVhen the charge of powder Within the shell is exploded, animmediate disruption of the tube D and a simultaneous breaking up of therings and outer cylinder, A, takes place, the rings being broken at thepoints where they are partially severed, thc outer cylinder beingshattered by the effect of the explosion, and the disconnected pieces ofthe rings and casing being scattered with great force in everydirection, and having the desired destructive effect on every objectWithin their reach.

As the entire shell is packed closely with rings fitting to each other,and as each ring may be partially severed at any number of points, itwill be evident that the contents, when exploded, may be scattered in alarge number of pieces, the explosion having greater eect, owing to thecompactness of the contents of lthe shell, than in shells charged withdetached pieces of metal.

The shell may be charged with partiallysevered rings arranged in amanner differing from that above described. In Fig. 2, drawing No. I,for instance, the space intervening betweenv the tube D and the outercylinder, A, is fitted with rings partially severed and having pointedprojections, the angular spaces on the inside of the outer cylinderbeing Iitted with longitudinal strips x, partially severed 4atintervals. c v

A system of partially-severed rings may be applied to spherical shells,as seen in Figs. l and 2, drawing No. 2, which will be readilyunderstood Without further reference.

In applying my invention to this class of shell the rings, with thechamber containing the charge of powder, may be arranged in a compactmass, covered on the outside with a coating of clay or other suitablematerial, so as to form a core, Which is placed in the mold and theouter casing cast around it, all expensive fitting being thus avoided.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Charginga shell-With a series of partiallysevered metallic rings or strips,arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my nam to this specification in thepresenceof two subscribing witnesses.

WM. nien.

NVitliesses:

HENRY HoWsoN, CHARLES D. FREEMAN.

